Blanket-clamping means for offset printing-presses.



A. .J'. 0111). BLANKET CLAMPING MBANSFOR OFFSET PRINTING PRESSES. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1911.

1,043,819 Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

. Iii t H: I l nventoz @313 attozncag UNITED 'JSTA E PATENT ALBERT J. Form, or new yonmn. Y}, AssIGNoR 'ro THE rucns & LANG MANUFAC- TUBING communes CORPORATION or NEW YORK;

BLaNKnr-cLAMrme MEANs'roa orrsur rnmrrme-rnnssns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- 7 Application filed December 6, 1911.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912. serial No. 664,172.

To all whom it may concern; 1 1 In the embodiment of Be it known that I, ALBERT J FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, city of New York,

' 5 in the county of New York and Stateof' New York, have invente'cl certain new and I useful Improvements 'in Blanket-Clamping Means for Offset- Printing-Presses, of ivhich .the following is a specification, referencebei'ng had therein to the accompanying draw ings,forming part thereof. j

- My'invention relates to improvements in blanket clamping means for offset printing my invention which is' used for illustration herein, a cylinder 1 is employed which is designed for use as a transfer cylinder of an offset printing press, and a blanket 2 of rubber fabric is Wrapped 60 Partly around the cylinder 1 and its ends are adjustably secured in a recess in the periphery of the cylinder extending'longh tudinally of the cylinder and transversely of the blanket, by means of clamping mem- 6-5 bers on theends of the blanket, one of these being shown as directly'engaging the cylinder and the other as engaging a reel member 1' presses. I v 1 shown as a reel-rod 3. 'As'usual, .the reel- In offset printing presses, itis common to rod provides for the tightening of the blan- 770' cover the 'su'rfaceof a printing element of ket about the cyhnderbyturning'the Ireel- .'rod on its journals,-which rotate-1n suitable bearingsatthe ends of thecylinder. To hold the reel-rod in adjusted position a ainst the tension of the blanket, it is provi ed at. 75,

- cylindrical orother form with a covering orblanket of rubber or other yielding material, commonly termed the transfer Ell-blanket, which serves as a transfer medium @to receive the impression from the printing ance with; the form or design on the printend of. the blanket consists of two flat I ,ing surfac 1 j clamp-bars -6 and 7, betweenwhich thegend ,In" the use of offset presses, it frequently of the blanket. is clamped, and which are' 85 surface and to print it upon the surface to be printed.

My invention relates particularly to the means by which such ablanket is secured in place upon the printing element, and to means for adjusting the blanket in accordhappens that the design or part tobe printed occupies a. fraction of the full 'width of the press, and itis desirable that the transfer blankets, which are expensive, and of short life,

the impressions, as well as that they should 1 press atvwhich'the design to be printedis be shiftable to thatflpart of the width of the located a I An object of this invention 1s to provlde 'means for using ablanket of any .desired width or more than one blanket-of narrow width, andfor easily adjustingfthe blanket transversely of the press toanyor blankets desired position, or 13051130118 1 4 Still other-objects and advantages of the i ntion will appear from the following 'description.

'The embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the accompanying drawings will ;.now be described and my inventionwill v reel-rodbearing against this shoulder.

thereafter be pointed outin claims.

Figure .1 is a side elevation of a transfer cylinder embodying .my invention. Fig. 2 is a central transverse section of thesame.

should be but slightly wider than.

- side opposed to the tension of the one outer end with a' ratchet wheel 4, which is engaged'by a spring-pressed pawl 5 pivoted at the' end of the cylinder. This jou r nal is provided with a square projectingend j for the application of a wrench or other tool 801 for turning the reel-rod in its bearings.

The blanket-clamping member .at each fastened together by bolts or screws as' shown,flso that 'each forms a clamping unit outerjcl'amp bar is slim 'n'- as somewhat narrower than the inner cl inner clamp-bar may-be readily engaged in the locking sockets, aswill now appear. 1

. At. one side'of'the recess in the cylinder, and .near the periphery of the cylinder, is

groove 01'- socket/.8, 'ex- 5 provideda locking tending longit-udinallyof the cylinder and transversely of theblanket. One edge of the socket 8 is "undercut to form anoverhanging or looking lip 9,,whiclrextends in front offthe lower clamp-bar and serves to lock the clamp in the socket against the tension of the blanket.

- The reel-rod is provided with alocking I socket formed by athrust shoulder 10 on the and the clamp-bars 6 and 7 are placed on the The socket is completed by an overhangingpart or looking lip provided on a flanged metallic strap 11 pair of clamp-bars 7 or clamp; and each amp-bar so that the blanket,

secured to the reel-rod by screws, Q

the flanged edge extending over the inner clamp ng bar 7, on the side opposite to that lwhich bears against the shoulder 10.

In this way the clamp at this end of the blanket is securely locked -to the reel-rod against the tension of. the blanket. Both clamps,fihowever, are free to move longitudinally of the cylinder or transversely of the blanket, and when it is desired to laterally adjust the blanket, it isonly necessary to release the pawl 5 andv thereby relieve the tension uponthe blanket-.- The operator has then only to slide the clamp-bars along their sockets to eflfect the desired adjustment, af- .ter' which the blanket may again be placed under tension by rotating the reel'-r0d.-

When it is desired to remove the blanket, the reel-rod may be released sufficiently to permit the clamps to be removed'from the sockets by first tipping them outward at their ends which abut against the thrust shoulders. Thus the blanket may be readily removed and readily attached by reverse movements, and the clamps and blankets may be provided in varying widths and one or more maybe-attached in desired positions transversely of the press, so that no greater width of blanket need beused than the particular impression requires and the blanket or blankets may-be readily adjusted to desired position or ositions. I 4

It is obvious tiat various modifications may be made in the constructionshown and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim l. The combination, with the printing element of a printing press, of a reel member for placing the blanket under longitudinal tension, and a blanket-clamping member arrangedto be locked to the reel member, the

ment of a printing press, of a reel member for placing the blanket under longitudinal tension, and a blanket-clamping member arranged to; be locked to the reel member, one of the members being provided with a locking socket for receiving a portionof the.

other member shaped to permit relative movement transversely of the blanket between the two members for adjustment, and to permit the blanket-clamping member to be rocked out of engagement with the reel member when tension of the blanket is relieved, and to lock the blanket -clainping dinally of the blanket under the tension of the blanket. I

3. The combination, with the printing ele-,

ment of aprinting'press,'of a reel-rod for placing the blanketiimder longitudinal tenme'mben against relative movement lon'gitusion, and a blanketclamp for the: end of the blanket arranged to be locked to the .reelrod, the reel-rod having alockin socket extendmg transversely of the b anket and adapted to receive the blanket-clam and to permit the blanket clamp to be roc ed into and outof engagement with the reel rod when. the tension of the blanket is relieved and to lock the blanket-clamp against rela tive movement longitudinally of the blanket under the tension of the blanket while Jermitting ready adjustment of the blan etclamp transversely of the blanket.

4. Thecombinatiom-with the printing ele ment of aprintingfpress, of a reel-rod for placing the blanket nnder longitudinal ten sion, an'd 'a blanket=clamp adapted to be se-' cured to the reel-rod and comprising two bars between which the end of the blanket may be clamped, the inner clamp-bar and the reel 'rod having their cooperative faces .so shaped as to -fit together and permit relative movement, of the blanket-clamp transversely of the blanket "while looking the blanket clamp against relative movement longitudinallyof the blanket under the tension of the blanket.

The combination, with the printing element of aprinting press, of a reel-rod 'for placing the blanket under longitudinal tension, and a blanket-clampadapted to be secured to the reel-rod and comprising two bars between which the end of'the'blanket may be clamped, the reel-rod having alockmgsocket extending transversely of the blanket and adapted toreceive the inner clamp-bar and permit relative movement of the blanketclamp transversely of the blanket while locking the blanket -clamp against relative movement longitudinally of the blanket under the tension of the blanket.- 3. The combination, with the printing element of a printing press, of a. reel-rod for placing the blanket under longitudinal ten- .sion, and a blanket-clamp for one end of the a blanket arranged'. to be locked to the reelrod, the reel-rod? having a blanket-clamp locking socket eitending transversely of the too blanket and comprising athrust shoulder and a detachableloverh'anging locking memher, the locking socket being adapted to. re-

ceive the 'blanketlclampt and lock it against relative movement lon 'tudinally of the blanket under the tens on of the blanket while permitting ready adjustmentof the blanket-clamp transversely of the blanket.

7. The combination, with a transfer cylintier of a-printingpress' having a recess in the cess and extending periphery thereof, the cylinder having Ia locking Socket formed in the wall of the retransversely of the blanket, of a blanket-clamp for one enclfo'f the blanket adapted to fit in cthe lockingsocket and to move freely thereinf-trans- 'verse'ly ofth'e blanket While being, locked therebyagainst movement longitudinally; of the blanket under the tension of the blanket,

a reel-rod for placing the'blanket under 1011 gitudinal tension, and a blanket-clamp for. theopposite end offthe'blank-etarranged to be blanket clamp' against relative movement longitudinally of the bl vanket under the ten sion of the blanket.

8. The combination with a transfer 0 ling d e'r of a printing presshaving a recess in the periphery thereof, the cylinder having a ing' the blanket uncler longitudinal tension,

locking-socket formed in the ivallof the re cess and extending transversely of the blanket, of a reel-rod in the recess for-placthe reel-rod liavi'n'g' a, locking socket therei-n -;extending transversely of the blanket,.-and

two blanket-clamps, one clamp for each end of the blanket, each clamp comprising two bars between which the blanket may be clampechone inner clamp-bar beingaclapted to fit in thelocking socket in the cylinder and. the other inner clamp-barbeing adapted,

toht .in the locking socket in the'reel-rocl,

:the-e'l'amps being free to slide in their sock- 1 ets transversely of the blanket while being locked. therein aiainst movement'longitucli nally of the blan' blanket:

In testimony whereof signature in presence o'ftwo itnesses.

ALBERT F 0RD Witnesses 5 I v GERTRUDE D. ,I-lYAMs, HARRY C. LEWIS,

I have afiixed my etunder thetension of the 

